Clutch control for marine transmission



Nov. 20, 1951 A. E. KlLPELA CLUTCH CONTROL FOR MARINE TRANSMISSION FiledNov. 15, 1943 2 SHEETS-SHEET l A. E. KILPELA CLUTCH CONTROL FOR MARINETRANSMISSION Nov. 20, 1951- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed NOY. 15, 1943.fizvenfr (272 0 5.5 25

Patented Nov. 20, v 1951 cLU'rcH. CONTROL FOR MARINE TRANS S Ano E.Kilpela, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Borg- Warner Corporation, Chicago,111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 13, 1943, SerialNo. 510,133

9 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to control means for certain types oftransmission devices. More specifically the improvements are directed"to a unitary control for shifting the gearing of a transmissionapparatus and at the same time en.- gaging and disengaging the elementsof a clutch which couples a drive shaft to a driven shaft.

The control mechanism which is contemplated herein is especially adaptedfor maritime use for the purpose of driving the propellerof a boat inopposite directions to move the vessel ahead or astern One o e r nc l bt o the s nt invention is to simplify the construction of control meansfor a transmission and clutch such as contemplated herein, and toimprove the operation an ef i ie of su app ra Another object of thisinvention is to provide imp e and fect m n in e eeh rel me nism whereby,when the control lever is moved in one direction from a neutralposition, the gears of the transmissions will be coupled up to thedriven shait slightly in advance of the clutch me s b comi n r 'r-o et hd i en haf in a given d c n a wh n s id control lever is moved inanother direction from its neutral position the gears in the'transmission will be again coupled up to the driven shaft siicht i ad a c of t ecl t becomin enweed o f ct a v r e r ion e th dri e Sh th t con rol ev rs n i ne ai position, the clutch members will be disengaged, and i e'd nshaft i be idle an disconnec d from the drive shaft.

t is a so a Object O th s inven i n to. p ovid a novelcam structure formaintaining the clutch memb s i en e while t e o tro l er i in itsneutral position, this cam. structure being ou ted p and in m e ei te wt t e fulcrum element for the control lever,

A further object is to provide a novel cam structure whereby the clutchmembers are held in a disen a ed position through that portion of thecontrollever travel, from neutral to either one of its me s t o in w c snchron zation.

of the drive and driven elements of the synchros nizer, l we y a parteheasemehi'q the synchronizer clutch elements, takes place, and wherebythe clutch members are allowed to en.- ee le th o t ol le e is move 10.9931".

plete th e a m of e h h ehi e clut h,

A furt ehiee s t vi e 1.19VB1 mea s f said means upon the fulcrum of thecontrol lever to move therewith.

Additional objects, aims, and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent to persons skilled in'the art after the construction andoper-. ation of the improved transmission and clutch control structureis understood from the within description.

It is preferred to accomplish the numerous objects of this invention andto practice the same in substantially the manner hereinafter fullydescribed and as particularly pointed out in the appended claims,reference being made to the accompanying drawings that form a part ofthis specification wherein:

'Fig. 1 is a schematic vertical section taken through the axes of thedrive and driven shafts of a transmission and clutch assembly to whichthis invention may be applied;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical elevation of a clutch and transmissionassembly showing the cam control assembly and certain of the elementsassociated therewith; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section. taken on the plane of line 3-6 on Fig. 2,looking in the direction of the arrows.

These drawings are to be understood as being more or less of a schematiccharacter for the purpose of disclosing a typical or preferredembodiment of the improvements contemplated herein, and. in thesedrawings like reference char! acters'identify the same parts inthedifferent views.

The transmission assembly, shown at the right. of Fig. 1, embodies thedriven shaft 5 upon which spaced gears 6 and "i are mounted for freerotation independent of driven shaft 5. Thefirst gear 6 is for reversedrive with respect to the direction of rotation of the prime mover andis meshed with a companion gear 8 that is secured to the transmissiondrive shaft 9, the latter having its axis parallel to the driven shaft5. The other gear I is for forward drive and is meshed with an idlerpinion It] that in turn'is meshed with a second gear I I secured todrive shaft 9 in axially spaced relation to gear 8.

To' couple selectively gears. 6 and l to driven shaft 5 transmissiongear changing or shifting assembly employing a blocker type synchronizeris used. The blocker synchronizer structure, which is disposed betweenthe gears 6 and 1, comprises a'ilanged, centrally disposed hub I2axially fixed to and rotatable with the driven shaft 5, said hub havingexternal teeth 13 on its flange that engage the internal teeth I4 of theshift collar l5 to be engaging one of the blocker rings l6 and I! withits confronting tapered hub l8 or l9 so as to synchronize the rotationof the associated gear I v engage throw-out bearing 41.

with the driven shaft 5, further sliding movement of the shift collar IEwill cause its teeth to pass through the teeth on the blocker rings andto mesh with clutch teeth 22 or 23. thatare formed on the hubs of themain driving gears (Band 1 thereby rotating the selected drive gear withthe driven shaft to transmit power from drive shaft 9 to the drivenshaft 5 in the proper directionfor forward or rearward movement of thevessel.

In neutral position, shift collar is in the position shown in Fig. l,and in this position teeth 14 are out of contact with clutch teeth 22and 23.

' The shift or control lever .24 (Figs. 2 and 3) is anchored at itslower end to the extended end portion of a fulcrum rod or a rock shaft25 that is journaled in a. bearing boss '25 on the transmission housing21, and the inner end of said fulcrum rod 25 has the shift yoke 28 keyedto it whereby said yoke willbe rocked whenever the shift lever 24 ismoved'out of its neutral position. Yoke 28 is formed with upstandingextensions 29 which pivotally support forks 30 that are disposedin'diarnetrically opposite portions of the annular. channel 3| ontheouter face of the shift collar 15. When the shift lever 24 is moved. outof neutral position toward either one of its other positions, thefulcrum rod 25 will rock the yoke 28 and its associated arms 29 andforks 36, which in turnwill slide shift collar l5 ,to the right or leftof the neutral position shown in Fig. 1 selectively to couple one of thegears 6, I to driven shaft 5.

An end portion of the transmission driveshaft 9 projects into a housing32 and is rotatably journaled in an elongate bearing boss'33. The innerextremity of said shaft has a reduced stub end '34-that is piloted in arecess 35 in the adjacent end of a drive or power-receiving shaft 36 ofa prime mover (not shown) and anti-friction elements 31 are interposedbetween the stub end and the recessed wall of the prime mover shaft 36as shown at the left'in Fig. l. The flywheel 38 is mounted on and drivenby shaft 36, and the adjacent end of the shift lever 49.

their shorter ends beyond their fulcrums pivotally connected to thepressure plate 44. The ends of the longer portions of these releasefingers are engaged with the throw-out bearing 47 that is mounted on theboss 33 and is adapted for sliding movement longitudinally thereon.

The means for moving the throw-out bearing 47 comprises the forked endportion 48 of a shift lever 49 that is fulcrumed intermediate its endson lugs 50 projecting from the wall of the housing 32. The fork 48straddles boss 33 and its ends A coupling rod 5! passes through anopening 52 in housing 32 and has its forked end 53 pivotally connectedto the The end of coupling rod 5| which is opposite the shift fork hasan adjustable connection with a cam structure (Fig. 2) that is adapted,when the shift lever 24 is in neutral position, to maintain the clutchmembers in disengaged or inactive posilions.

The cam structure which is illustrated in enlarged detail in Fig. 2, isof the internal edge type preferably embodying an elongated plate 54having a tapered end portion that is provided with a threaded socket 55wherein the adjacent end of the coupling rod 5|. is adjustably secured.This'cam plate 54 is provided with a longitudinally extending openingidentified generally as 56. Theend portion of the cam opening whichapproaches the socket 55 has parallel side edges 57 that have opposingstraight shoulders 58 functioning as guides forthe cam plate 54 when thesaid plate moves in a directiontransverse to the axis of the fulcrum rod25 for the control shift lever 24. The end 59 (Fig. 3) of a relativelyshort rocker or follower arm 66 is anchored to the fulcrum rod 25 by anysuitable means such as serrations 6 I. to cause said arm 60 to turn withthe fulcrum rod. There is an annular channel 62 formed in the end 59 ofrocker arm 60 for receiving and guiding, the cam plate 54 through.

the medium of the parallel guides 53 on the cam plate whenever there isrelative movement beclutch reaction face member 39 is formed as a partof said flywheel 38. A driven clutch plate 46 has its hub 4| slidablysecured by splines 42 to f the adjacentportion of the drive shaft 9within clutch housing 38a and the friction facings 43' plate 44 isrestrained against engagement with the friction facings 43 by theradially disposed release fingers 46 that are fulcrumed adjacent theirouter ends onlugs upon the inner portion of the adjacent wall of theclutchhousing38a andliave The movable pressure tween the fulcrum rod 25and the plate. The

movement of the cam plate 54 as hereinafter.

described is such that it may be considered a second arm of the rockshaft 25. I

The portion of the cam opening 56 in which the rocker arm 60 is disposedhas outward diverg-' ing straight edges 63 extending away from theguides 58, and said. diverging edgesterminate in' inward extendingarcuate edges '64 that curve towards each other and are connected by abulge Y or cam rise 65 that extends into the cam opening 56 between thecurved edges 64 substantially in the manner shownin Fig. 2. The rockerarm 60 has a cam follower roller 66 rotatably mounted upon its freeendand an annular groove 61 is made in the edge of said roller to engagethe edges of the cam opening. The shapes of the arcuate cam edges 64 andtheir positions relative to the. rise. 65 form recesses on each side ofsaid. rise which the follower roller 66 will clear when" the controlshift lever has been moved from its neutral position to a forward orreverse position.

The movement of the lever and its associated follower is arrested by asuitable stop (not shown) in the transmission. Rise 65 is also providedwith a notch 65a'into which roller 66 drops when the transmissionisconditioned for neutral. The

, moving of the follower roller 66 towardleither' of these recesses iseffected by the force of the clutch springs 45 that transferred to thecam plate- 54' throu h. th m dium of lutch releas fin e s 45. throw-outbea in 4 shi levers andthe coupling 5| which connects the latter leversto the plate, Also the force of the OllllJQh springs is. adapted tomaintain the cam rise 55 in engagement with the follower roller .65whehevgr the clutch and transmission gear as embl s are in t eirn u alpos ons- .When th control shift lever 24 is moved in either directionfrom neutral the fulcrum rod 25 will be given suflicient rotation toraise or lower; the free end of the rocker arm 60 to permit he follower.roller toride off the cam rise 65 toward, a recess at one sideof saidcam rise. The com plate during this action will have moved toward theleft (Fig. 2) to one of the limits of its reciprooatory movement tocause the fork 48 of the clutch lever .45 to rotate about itsv pivot andthus clutch throw-out bearing .41 to move to the right under theinfluence of clutch release fingers 46 and compression springs 45. Thisaction. results in the movement of the pressure plate 44 into clutchingengagement with the friction facings 43 and operatively connects the.transmission drive shaft 9 to the shaft 38 of the, prime mover. thedriven shaft 5 being rotated in one direction or the other dependingupon whether the control shift lever 24 has been moved from neutral toits forward or reverse position. Coupling of shaft 5 to gear 1 or togear 6 foriforward or reverse drive, respectively, will occur slightlyin advance of engagement of the clutch 43, 44. In this manner a singleshift lever controls the operation of the clutch and at the same timeoperates the blocker synchronizer to shift the gears of the transmissionassembiyto control thedirection of rotation of the driven shaft 5. .Theclutch actuator springs 45 exert a pull uponthe cam plate 54 so that thefollower roller 66 is maintained in continuous contact with the camrise, and when the roller is on the central'portion of the cam rise theclutch will be inactive and the transmission assembly will be maintainedin neutral. It may be noted from a consideration of Figs 1 and 2 thatthe lever 48 is fulcrumed on the lugs to rotate about a pivot pin 68 andthat the lower end of the lever at its pivotal connection to thecoupling rod 5| will-swing in an arc whereby, upon movement of thecoupling rod 5| to the left by the lever 58 during engagement of theclutch by the springs 45 in either the forward or reverse positions ofthe control lever 24, as viewed in these figures, the pivotal connection69 of the coupling rod and lever 48 will also shift to the left and movein an upward direction. While this movement is slight, it will cause theextremity 53 of the coupling rod 5| to be slightly raised upwardly withthe effect that, through the connection 55 of the coupling rod 5| withthe plate 54, the left end of the plate will move in an upwarddirection, with the result that the plate 54 will be iven a smallrotational movement about the axis of the rock shaft. This rotationalmovement is permitted by the flexible diaphragm 10 surrounding theforked end 53 of the couplin rod 5|. While the lever 48 is customarilymounted, as shown, in accordance with conventional clutch practice, itis possible that other mechanism may be disposed between the clutchrelease collar 41 and the coupling rod 5| which would be effective tocause movement of the coupling rod 5| solely along its lon itudinal axiswithout movement of the left end of the rod 5| in an upward or downwarddirection, with the consequence v l uc c an es. and modifications.

I claim: 3., In a power transmission having a power receiving shaft. adrive shaft, a frictionclutch.

ops-ratively connecting said shafts. said clutch having driving anddriven members, springs for; engaging the clutc members, a gear qhangingassembly connected to said drive shaft, acontrol lever for operatin Saidgear changin assembly, fulcrum :rod secured to said control lever ra.rocker arm securet to and movable with-the fulcrum rod, the improvementwhich consists of a channel in the hub ofsaid rocker a platereciprocably and rotatablysupportedin. said guide channel, said platebeing operatively connected to said clutch and urged in one direc: tionby the clutch sprin s, and said plate having a penin b dyin a cam riseand a at each side thereof, said rocker arm being adapted to be engagedwith the camrise tomainrain theclutch in an inactive position inopposition to the clutch operatingsprings. 1a:

2. In a power transmission having a drive ceiving shaft, a drive shaft,a friction clutch, operatively connecting said shaftsLsaid clutch.having driving and driven memberasprings for. n a in the lut m mbe s,aztransmission. gear shift assembly connected to said drive shaft andincluding a synchronizing clutch, a control lever, a rock shaft pivotingsaid control lever, the improvementwhich consists of a shift yokesecuredto said rock shaft to operate the .syncl.iro.--v nizing clutch of saidtransmission gear shift as-.-. sembly, a plate reciprocably androtatably-supe ported on said rock shaft and operatively connected tothe friction clutch, said plate. beingurged in one direction by thefriction clutch operating springs, a cam opening in said plate embodyinga cam rise and a fall at each side thereof, a follower arm secured toand movable with said rook shaft, and a channel in the hub of a said armfor guiding said plate, said arm having a portion disposed in said plateopening adapted to engage the cam rise to maintain the friction clutchin an inactive position in opposition to the friction clutch operatingsprings.

3. In a power transmission having a drive receiving shaft, a driveshaft, a friction clutch operatively connecting said shafts, said clutchhaving driving and driven members, springs for engaging the clutchmembers, a transmission gear assembly connected to said drive shaft andincluding a synchronizing clutch, a control lever, a rock shaft pivotingsaid control lever. the improvement which consists in a shift yokesecured to said rock shaft to operate the synchronizing clutch of saidtransmission gear shift assembly, a plate reciprocably and rotatablysupported on said rock shaft and operatively connected to said frictionclutch, said plate being urged in one direction by the friction clutchoperating springs and having an opening providing therein a cam rise anda fall at each Side thereof and a guide slot opposite said rise andfalls, a follower arm secured to and movable with said rock shaft.

and a channel in the hub of said arm for enga ing the guide slot of saidplate to guide the same, said arm having a portion disposed in saidplate opening adapted to engage the cam rise to maintain the frictionclutch in an inactive position in opposition to the friction clutchoperating springs.

4. Actuating mechanism comprising, in combination, a rock shaft andsupport therefor, an arm secured to said rock shaft and rotatabletherewith, a second arm, said second arm-being mounted on said rockshaft for reciprocal and rotational movement, a cam rise in an openingin said second arm, and a follower secured to and rotatable with saidrock shaft and adapted to be engaged with said cam rise.

' 5. Actuating mechanism comprising, in com"- bination, a rock shaft andsupport therefor, an arm secured 'to said rock shaft and rotatabletherewith, a plate mounted on said rock shaft for reciprocal androtational movement, an opening in said plate providing therein a camrise and a fall at each side thereof and a guide slot opposite said riseand falls, and a follower secured ablysupported on said rock shaft,loading means" acting on said plate to urge it in one direction,"

an opening in said plate providing therein a cam rise and a fall at eachside thereof and a guide slot,.a follower arm secured to and movablewith saidrock shaft, and a channel in the hub portion of said arm forengaging the guide slot of said plate to guide the same, said followerarm having a portion disposed in said plate opening and adapted toengage with the cam rise to oppose said loading means.

7. Actuating mechanism comprising, in combination, a rock shaft andsupport therefor, an arm secured to said rock shaft and rotatabletherewith, a second arm, said second arm being mounted on said rockshaft for reciprocal move ment, a cam rise in an opening in said secondarm, and a follower secured to and rotatable with said rock shaft andadapted to be engaged with said cam rise.

8. Actuating mechanism comprising, in combination, a rock. shaft andsupport therefor. an arm secured to said rock shaft and rotatabletherewith, a plate mounted on said rock-shaft for reciprocal movement;an opening in said plate providing therein a cam-rise and a fall at eachside thereof and a guide slot opposite said rise and falls, and-afollower'secured to and rotatable with said rock shaft and adapted to beengaged with said cam rise, said follower'having a channel in its hubportion-for engaging the guide slot of said plate to guide the same.

9.A'ctuating mechanism comprising, in combination; a-rock-shaftand-support therefor, a controlling-lever secured to said rock-shaft torotate the --same,-a plate reciprocably supported on said rock shaft,loading means acting on said plate to urge it in-'one direction, anopening in said plate p'roviding'therein a cam rise and-a fall at eachside-thereof and a guide slot, a follower arm securedto and movable withsaid rock shaft, and a channel in the hub'po'rtion of said arm' forengaging the guide slot of said plate to guide the same, said followerarm having a portion'disposed in said plate opening and adapted toengage with the cam rise to oppose said loading means.

' ANO E. KILEELA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS.

Number Name Date 257,939 Gove May 16. 1882 900,984 Coe Oct. 13, 1908910,123 Godfrey Jan. 19, 1909 999,699 Collins Aug. 1, 1911 1,010,273 LawNov. 28, 1911 1,197,917 Dawson et al Sept. 12, 1916 1,7? 8,970 Cotta eta1 Oct. 21, 1930 2,091,557 Montgomery Aug. 31, 1937 2,245,815 Petersonet a1 June 17, 1941 2,277,275 Swartz Mar. 24, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 368,135 Great Britain Mar. 3, 1932

